roxanneroxanne

That was a great list of questions! Each traveler I know customizes a similar list as they travel, with things that are important to them. Some of them you can ask in the interview, some you'll have to ask once you are on the job. For me, it all comes down to communication. As my husband says, trust but verify. It is your responsibility to make sure your concerns are addressed. Once I figured out that I needed to be proactive in making my contract and my assignment what I needed them to be, I have great deals and great experiences. Something I can't stress enough, is READ your contract. If things aren't clear, ASK. Have it rewritten to clarify issues that concern you. Contracts are templates and one size doesn't always fit all. I have had companies refuse to change contract language, but they have always made agreed upon changes. It is in everyone's interest to have the contract clear. If you travel to work (especially if you want to work overtime) over-staffing and floating can be very important issues. One hospital told me (and it was written in the contract) that I would float in turn with staff. What I wasn't told and wasn't written, was that the only staff who floated were staff members who had been there less than 5 years, and that that was less than 20% of their staff. When I asked how often I should expect to float, I was told maybe 3 or 4 times during my contract. Guess what, I floated much more often than that. For me floating wasn't a big issue, but the unit I was floated to (tele) had a travel position available and a much bigger completion bonus. Had I known that I would spend more than half my contract hours there, I would have considered the tele contract more seriously and then floated to ICU. In one contract, it was written that I could be over-staffed one day a pay period. When I questioned this, I was told by the hospital interviewer (who happened to be a travel company employee) that it never happened and that I would be offered the option to float rather than be over-staffed. The ICU with which I was contracted didn't ever over-staff me, they placed me on-call (for which my pay rate dropped to $4/hr). Being on-call, I could neither float, nor work a shift at another facility (sometimes I'll do agency work on the side). During my contract period, I ended up being obligated to the facility for 59 shifts and only worked 38. That's a lot of days I could have been hiking, biking or shopping, or working. Since then I only take contracts with guaranteed hours, or make sure that I will be completely overstaffed so that I can work elsewhere or actually have a day off. The same hospital offered regular staff the option of working overtime and then would put me on-call to bring a regular staff member in on OT. It wasn't addressed at all in my contract, but I found it deceptive. Another consideration brought up before, is your skill set and your comfort level with various tasks and responsibilities: What can you do, what are you willing to do. I have often traveled to units where I was the most experienced nurse in the department. It is important to me to have a resource person in the department each shift, someone who will be available to help me with procedures and issues. Most staff members are very willing on an informal basis, but sometimes the regular staff is too overworked and stressed to be of help, and can get frustrated with too many questions. A three day orientation is not much to get to know the ins and outs of a unit (and this has been pretty standard in my experience). If the hospital doesn't provide me a resource person, I use the charge nurse or choose one of the more teaching oriented nurses on the unit and ask them to be my resource. I have never had one turn me down or be bothered if I asked questions. Another standard practice is to ASK QUESTIONS once I'm on assignment. You won't get in trouble asking, but you might violate hospital policy or just complicate your task but not asking. Remember, you and your travel company need to be working together. If not for you, they would not be in business. They are negotiating deals, which saves us as travelers lots of hassle. You are making the travel company lots of money. It is in their best interest to have you happy and productive. Your recruiter, or other contact person should be your advocate. If you have problems, beyond the simple ones that need to be addressed immediately with the charge nurse, consider involving your recruiter to advocate for you and deal with difficult issues. Good luck! Traveling is a great way to see the country (or the world) and be able to make a living doing it. I love my jobs, and love the flexibility and possibility that traveling offers me.

Hi! I have traveled with my husband for several years. We have private health insurance for him. The costs through the travel company plan were high for family, though free for me. Our private insurance is less than half the cost of adding him to my travel company plan. We have a health savings account medical plan which is quite reasonable for one person, and gives us a tax break on expenses. We travel home for the summers, and I do per diem or seasonal work in my home town. This summer I'm considering a travel assignment 50 miles from home, this is the minimum distance lots of hospitals will use for travel positions. It sounds like you are juggling lots of responsibilities, it's nice to have all the options nursing offers. Good luck in your ventures! Roxanne

Hi! I've never known nurses to strike simply for money. It has always been for better working conditions and better patient safety. Just keep in mind if you go for the big strike bucks that if it wasn't safe to work there before the strike, imagine what it could be like when the work force is even more compromised. If it is not safe to be a patient, it certainly isn't safe for your nursing license. Support striking nurses- don't scab! Roxanne

Hi! Robin, I've traveled for years with my husband, 2-3 dogs and 2 cats. Piece of cake! Have fun, Roxanne